Darkness... then cold.
That was the first thing Dan felt as he slowly regained consciousness. Cold water seeped through his clothes, and moisture clung to his skin. He tried to open his eyes, but the light was too bright, making him wince and shut them quickly.
"Where am I?" he thought hazily.
The last thing he remembered was being in his small apartment, sitting on his worn-out sofa, watching Naruto episodes for the tenth time. It was just another boring day in his routine life. Dan was in his late twenties, working an office job he hated, living alone with no real friends or big ambitions. But he was content with his quiet life, far from trouble.
He opened his eyes slowly this time, adjusting to the light. The sky above was clear blue, and the sun was annoyingly bright. He sat up and looked around. He was lying next to a small stream. Thick trees surrounded him, and the sounds of birds and insects filled the air.
"What is this place?" he whispered.
He tried to stand, but his body felt heavy and numb. After several tries, he managed to sit up. He looked at his clothes—the same jeans and grey shirt he wore at home. There was no logical explanation for this.
"Am I dreaming?" he wondered. But the cold and dampness felt too real.
Suddenly, he heard voices coming from the bushes. People were approaching. Panic flared in his heart. Dan hated dealing with strangers, especially in a situation like this. His first instinct was to hide, but his body was still too weak to move.
Five men emerged from the trees. They wore simple, traditional clothes, like ancient farmers. They had Asian features and black hair. They stopped when they saw him and exchanged looks.
One middle-aged man with a short beard stepped forward cautiously. "Who are you?" the man asked.
Dan was shocked. Japanese. The man was speaking Japanese!
"What are you doing here?" another younger man asked.
Dan's heart raced. This made no sense. How did he get here? Luckily, thanks to years of binge-watching anime, he understood and spoke Japanese fairly well.
"I... I am..." Dan started in shaky Japanese, "I'm okay... I think."
The men looked relieved. "Where are you from? We haven't seen you in our village before," the bearded man said.
"I'm a traveler," Dan lied quickly. "I was traveling and got lost. I don't remember how I ended up here."
It was a weak story, but it was all he had. He knew he had to hide the truth about his apartment; otherwise, they might think he was crazy or a threat.
"Lost?" the younger man asked skeptically. "Which village are you from?"
"From... very far away," Dan replied vaguely. "A small village you probably don't know."
The bearded man sighed. "Well, we can't leave you here. Come with us to the village. You must see the Patriarch."
The word "Patriarch" made Dan nervous, but he had no choice. He nodded silently.
They walked for twenty minutes through the forest. The path was rough, and Dan struggled to keep up. Finally, a small village appeared. It had simple wooden houses and people in traditional clothes. It looked like a scene from an ancient era, far from modern civilization.
They led him to the largest building, a two-story wooden structure. The bearded man told him to wait while he went inside to inform the leader. Dan stood there, heart pounding, wishing he was back in his boring apartment.
After a few minutes, the man beckoned him inside. The interior was simple, with floor mats and basic furniture. At the end of the hall, a man sat on a large cushion.
When Dan saw him, his heart nearly stopped.
The man was middle-aged, wearing a simple white robe. But what was shocking weren't his clothes—it was his face. He had two small horns protruding from his forehead, and his eyes... they were purple, with concentric circles.
The Rinnegan.
Dan's blood ran cold. This look, those eyes... it couldn't be. But it was. He was standing in front of the Sage of the Six Paths.
He tried to hide his shock, but he was sure it showed. This meant he hadn't just traveled to the world of Naruto, but to the distant past—a thousand years ago.
"Come closer," the Sage said in a calm but powerful voice.
Dan stepped forward, his knees shaking. He bowed respectfully.
"Tell me," the Sage said, his purple eyes staring deep into Dan. "Who are you? And where do you come from?"
Dan swallowed hard. He knew the Sage might be able to sense lies. "My name is... Dan," he said quickly. "I am a traveler from a far land. I got lost and woke up by the stream. I don't know how I got here."
The Sage stared at him in silence for what felt like hours, then nodded slowly. "A far land... I see. You look exhausted. We will provide a place for you to rest tonight. Tomorrow, we will talk more."
Dan felt a wave of relief. "Thank you for your kindness."
He was led to a small hut. As soon as the door closed, Dan collapsed onto the mat, trembling. He was in the Naruto world, a thousand years in the past, with the Sage of the Six Paths himself.
This was a nightmare. He wanted a quiet life, and now he was in the most dangerous time period possible.
"I have to stay out of trouble," he whispered to himself. "I need to hide, live quietly, and wait... wait for what?"
He didn't know. But he knew one thing: he had to hide his true identity at all costs. In a world of monsters . staying invisible was the only way to survive